Profundo - Oppressive regimes

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Quite a few countries do not have a democracy but suppressive regimes, who forbid the trade unions and social organizations, freedom of speech and discriminate certain local communities on purpose. Companies who carry on business or invest in such countries, often supply extra income for the regimes. Companies and financial institutions have to be aware of these possible dangers.

Profundo researches which companies carry on business or invest in countries with suppressive regimes. Profundo also consults institutional investors on their investments in such companies.

Date	Projects
9 June 2007 Banks, Oppressive regimes, Weapons	Financing of military companies by Dutch financial institutions Study on the involvement of Dutch financial institutions in the financing of ten major military companies from Europe and the United States, which are involved in supplying military equipment to countries in which human right violations take place on a large scale and countries which are involved in an armed conflict (internal or external). Client: Oxfam Novib
7 October 2006 Fruits, Oppressive regimes, Vegetables	Dutch economic relations that support the Israeli occupation of Palestine and Syrian territories Research on Dutch commercial interests in the Israeli occupied territories. Client: United Civilians for Peace Document(s): Press release UCP: Unilever withdraws from an Israeli settlement, 27 November 2008.
12 September 2006 Oppressive regimes	Riwal and the Israeli separation wall Research on the involvement of the Dutch leasing company of construction material - Riwal - in the construction of the Israeli separation wall. Client: United Civilians for Peace
24 May 2007 Banks, Hydropower, Nickel, Nuclear energy, Oppressive regimes, Pulp & paper	Controversial projects financed by Chinese banks Study on the financing by Chinese banks of companies which are seriously polluting the environment or which are involved in violations of human rights. Client: BankTrack, Friends of the Earth United States Document(s): Press release BankTrack: Chinese banks still have a long way to go in adopting environmental policies, May 9 2007 Social Fund: Banking on the Future: The Two Biggest US Banks To Dedicate Billions to Halting Climate Change, 16 May 2007
1 October 1996 Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes	The ecological dislocation of the Niger delta Report on the role of Shell and the other oil & gas companies in the ecological problems in the Niger Delta (Nigeria). Client: Greenpeace Netherlands
10 June 2007 Asset managers, Oppressive regimes, Tobacco, Weapons	Investments in controversial companies by Dutch charities Quick scan into the investments by Dutch charities in controversial companies, which are involved in human rights violations or serious forms of environmental pollution or which are producing controversial weapons or tobacco. Client: Zembla
12 April 2002 Banks, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes	The financing of IHC Caland Research into the financing by banks and government subsidies of offshore company IHC Caland. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie)
10 October 2007 Asset managers, Banks, Copper, Gold, Human rights, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes	The financing of companies violating human rights Study on the involvement of financial institutions in the financing of companies which violate human rights or labour rights, or which are doing business with oppressive regimes. Client: BankTrack, Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen:New report reveals alarming investment practices by financial groups: 12 December 2007 Report Urgewald: Deutsche Bank: Ein fragwürdiges Markenzeichen, May 2008
18 December 2007 Banks, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes	German financial institutions and oil & gas in Africa and the former Soviet Union Study on the involvement of German financial institutions in the financing of oil- and gas companies in Africa and the Former Soviet Union. Client: Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen Document(s): Report Urgewald: Deutsche Bank: Ein fragwürdiges Markenzeichen, May 2008
19 December 2007 Banks, Climate change, Coal, Gold, Human rights, Hydropower, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes, Palm oil, Pulp & paper, Shrimps, Soy, Timber, Weapons, Whitefish	Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks A benchmark of the credit policies of the 45 largest international banks in the world, with regard to 7 sensitive sectors - agriculture, weapons, forestry, fishery, oil & gas, mining and dams - and 7 crucial issues - biodiversity, climate change, toxics, labour, human rights, rights of indigenous people, and taxes. The policies were compared with existing international regulations and standards: international agreements and conventions, guidelines framed in multi-stakeholder initiatives, etcetera. Client: BankTrack Document(s): The Banker: Article on the benchmark of the credit policies of the 45 largest international banks in the world, 1 February 2008 Press release BankTrack: Mind the Gap: BankTrack rates credit policies of 45 banks, 19 December 2007 Report BankTrack: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, December 2007 Executive summary report BankTrack: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, December 2007 Metro France: Le secteur bancaire en retard sur les critères environnementaux, 28 December 2007
10 November 2007 Asset managers, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes, Pension funds	Investments in Sudan Opinion article written with Frans Bieckmann (The Broker) on the political and economic options to put pressure on the regime in Sudan to achieve a lasting and fair peace in Darfur.
1 October 2005 Asset managers, Banks, Human rights, Oppressive regimes	Belgian banks as shareholders of companies that are involved in human rights violations Research on the shares held by Belgian banks in companies that are involved in human rights violations. Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: AXA invests heavily in new US landmine producers, 18 October 2005 Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: AXA invests heavily in new US landmine producers, 18 October 2005 Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: Belgian bank groups invest in companies that abuse human rights, January 2006 Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: Shareholders protest against ING investments in human rights abuses, 25 April 2006
5 June 2008 Asset managers, Banks, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Weapons	The financing of companies violating human rights Research into the financing of companies involved in human rights violations by a number of banks active in Belgium. Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: Risk of harmful investments is too high for Belgian customers, 4 June 2008
12 February 2009 Oppressive regimes	UK economic links with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory Research into UK economic links with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. Client: School of Oriental and African Studies Document(s): Report: UK economic links with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, February 2009